Tagged: budget

State lawmakers in Berkshire County are asking Massachusetts to hold onto its recently announced fiscal surplus, to use only in case of emergency. WAMC’s Berkshire Bureau Chief Lucas Willard reports…

State financial officials announced last week that the Commonwealth is facing a $116 million surplus in last year’s FY 2012 budget. When desposited into the state’s so-called “Rainy Day Fund”, it brings that amount to over 1.6 billion dollars. That makes Massachusetts a state with one of the largest cash reserves in the country, only behind Texas and Alaska.

The proposed 2013 budget for the city of Plattsburgh has been released.  The Mayor says “lack of meaningful reform” in Albany and an “underperforming pension fund” made it one of the most difficult to craft since he has been in office.
    

David Wessel is a Pulitzer-Prize-winning reporter, columnist, and bestselling author as well as the economics editor of The Wall Street Journal and writes "The Capital" column. We speaks with him about his book, Red Ink: Inside the High-Stakes Politics of the Federal Budget.

   The city council in Springfield Massachusetts has taken  steps that will lead to the reopening of three branch libraries that closed because of budget cuts.  But it is a stopgap measure that has library supporters looking for long term funding solutions.  WAMC”s Pioneer Valley Bureau Chief Paul Tuthill reports.

The Massachusetts State Lottery this week reported record sales and net profit. It means more money should be available for future distribution to cash strapped cities and towns across the state.  WAMC”s Pioneer Valley Bureau Chief Paul Tuthill reports.

Murphy’s Pop Shop in Springfield’s East Forest Park neighborhood is one of the top lottery sales agents in Massachusetts.  Owner Patrick Murphy said his business was off  due to the natural disasters that befell Springfield, but he’s not surprised lottery sales statewide during the last  12 months hit a record.